November lasted approximately five minutes, which is probably why I didn’t get quite as much reading done as I expected. But I did read three Book of the Month books, and since I’m working with a significant BOTM backlog, that was definitely helpful. I was pleasantly surprised by a book in a genre I don’t normally read, and I also finished another ARC from BookExpo.

Here are my stats:

Number of books finished: 6

Audiobooks: 1

ARCs: 1

#readmyowndamnbooks: 5

And here are my reviews:

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey (3.75 stars) – It would be hard for me not to read a contemporary fantasy set at a magical school, and Magic for Liars was no exception. In this case, socially isolated private investigator Ivy is called into the magical high school her sister teaches at in order to investigate a murder, and in the process has to revisit her childhood insecurities about growing up normal with a magical sister and losing her mother at a young age. I found this an enjoyable read overall; at times it feels like a modern play on a noir detective story, and the magical elements often felt incidental rather than central. For that reason, it would be an easy dip into fantasy for readers who aren’t typically fans of the genre, but still has enough fantastical elements for genre fans. The characters and the school that Gailey sets up would definitely work well for the possibility of spin-off books set in this same world, possibly even with different main characters, that I would like to see, but also wraps up well for this being, from what I understand, a standalone book.

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore (4 stars) – Before picking up this book, I was ready to give up on the historical romance genre–not through any fault of the genre itself, but because I had yet to find a book or author I really clicked with. And then Book of the Month offered Bringing Down the Duke as one of its selections, and it had one of those cute cartoon romance novel covers that I vastly prefer to traditional bodice-ripper covers, as well as a feminist premise, and I decided to give historical romance one last shot. I’m so glad I did, it because this was such a fun read. I found that I loved Dunmore’s writing style and liked both main characters equally (which shouldn’t be rare in romance novels, but for some reason is for me?): suffragist and Oxford student Annabelle and icy aloof duke Sebastian. I also got some Pride and Prejudice vibes from their early interactions and in some ways the writing style, which is something that I’ve been looking to find done well in the genre but previously hadn’t seen. There was one plot point that I was NOT a fan of, but I do understand that it could be attributed to social norms of the time, and it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the read. There’s also a clear set-up for the next book in the series that I am very much on board for, with a romance between lead suffragist Lucie and a notorious rake taking center stage.

Well Met by Jen Deluca (3 stars) – A cute contemporary romance with an interesting setting (Renaissance faire!) and premise (out-of-towner-turned RenFaire tavern wench meets uptight English teacher/RenFaire pirate!) that I ultimately didn’t connect with writing-wise the way that I was hoping to. Relationship issues became repetitive, as did their solutions, and I wasn’t convinced by how quickly the relationship progressed.

The Witches are Coming by Lindy West (3 stars) – I found this essay collection on how pop culture influences our current political environment to be enjoyable, but ultimately disappointing, as I felt West didn’t necessarily choose the best examples to make her points, and was largely speaking to an audience who already agreed with her views. It’s an easy and short listen on audio, and if you like Lindy West, I’d still recommend it, but it’s not the strongest essay collection I’ve read on the topic.

When the Sky Fell On Splendor by Emily Henry (3 stars) – Excellent band of misfits friend group at the center of this story, but ultimately a plot that I just didn’t love. I really enjoyed Henry’s A Million Junes, and this didn’t quite live up, despite the characters that I would have happily followed in a different story. I almost felt like the science fiction elements of this story detracted from its impact; when you have such strong characters that readers can connect with so easily, sometimes a simpler plot allows them to shine more.

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett (2 stars) – The Grace Year was one of my most anticipated books of 2019, mainly because it was pitched as sort of a YA version of The Handmaid’s Tale, and while that’s an apt description, the book itself unfortunately didn’t work for me. I had issues with the logic of the premise–in their sixteenth year, the girls of “the county” are sent into the woods for a mysterious “grace year” in order to rid themselves of the magic they supposedly possess before they fully join society to become docile wives for workers–and the fact that neither the county itself nor the surrounding world was ever explained, but that wasn’t my only issue with this one. Our main character, Tierney, felt more like a fictional YA protagonist than she did a fully developed person; the book’s side characters remained one-dimensional, despite us as readers spending a year with them, and overall I felt like there was too much summarizing in the narrative and not enough action or dialogue. I also really disliked the romance storyline; I think I’d have greatly preferred the story without it, and focusing on female friendships instead. I did like the direction the book took towards the end with regards to certain realizations Tierney came to (trying to be as vague as possible to avoid spoilers), and the potential for interesting developments in the future, but this unfortunately just wasn’t the book for me. I received an ARC of The Grace Year from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.